Gordon doesn't pull any punches on COT's 'push'
By Michael Vega and Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff | July 2, 2007
LOUDON, N.H. -- So how did the Car of Tomorrow fare in its New Hampshire International Speedway debut?
Breaking News Alerts Jeff Gordon, who finished second to Denny Hamlin in yesterday's Lenox Industrial Tools 300, said the COT's aero push was in no way improved by running at the 1.058-mile oval, which has developed a reputation on NASCAR's Nextel Cup circuit as a tough place to pass.
"I'd like to know who said this car would take away the [aerodynamic] push," Gordon said, raising his hand in the postrace news conference. "Because I could have told you the first time I drove this car, it's going to make it worse.
"All it's done is throw the cars down through the corner, and that might make the race seem good at some tracks and not so good at other tracks," Gordon said. "This is New Hampshire; since they changed the banking, it's made a wider groove and more side-by-side racing."
Which was a good thing for the sellout crowd of 101,000. NASCAR will run the COT when NHIS hosts the Sylvania 300 Sept. 16, the first race of the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship.
"This is one of toughest places that there is to pass, even with the old car," said Gordon, who struggled to get past Hamlin after moving past third-place Martin Truex Jr. with seven laps to go. "But I have not found that this car makes the aero push better. If anything, it might be a little worse."
By Michael Vega and Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff | July 2, 2007
LOUDON, N.H. -- So how did the Car of Tomorrow fare in its New Hampshire International Speedway debut?
Breaking News Alerts Jeff Gordon, who finished second to Denny Hamlin in yesterday's Lenox Industrial Tools 300, said the COT's aero push was in no way improved by running at the 1.058-mile oval, which has developed a reputation on NASCAR's Nextel Cup circuit as a tough place to pass.
"I'd like to know who said this car would take away the [aerodynamic] push," Gordon said, raising his hand in the postrace news conference. "Because I could have told you the first time I drove this car, it's going to make it worse.
"All it's done is throw the cars down through the corner, and that might make the race seem good at some tracks and not so good at other tracks," Gordon said. "This is New Hampshire; since they changed the banking, it's made a wider groove and more side-by-side racing."
Which was a good thing for the sellout crowd of 101,000. NASCAR will run the COT when NHIS hosts the Sylvania 300 Sept. 16, the first race of the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship.
"This is one of toughest places that there is to pass, even with the old car," said Gordon, who struggled to get past Hamlin after moving past third-place Martin Truex Jr. with seven laps to go. "But I have not found that this car makes the aero push better. If anything, it might be a little worse."